Metal Detecting Report (Mathew Morris MA ACIFA)

As part of the Bosworth Links Big Dig on the weekend of 22-23 July 2017 a metal detector survey was carried out at the Parish Field, Park Street, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire (SK 40790 03060).

The field, a trapezoid area covering c.0.32 hectares, is situated on the eastern side of the town, between Park Street to the north and Rectory Lane to the south. Houses and a bowling green form its western boundary, whilst a memorial garden is to the east. At its maximum north/south extent, along its western edge, it is c.98m, narrowing to c.48m to the east, whilst east/west it is c.45m wide. Today the field is managed grassland. It has never been metal detected before.

Since the 1930s, the Parish Field has been a public field owned by the Parish Council, with whose permission this survey was undertaken. Before this, historic maps dating back to the mid-19th century indicate that it was part of Bosworth Park, at times open parkland and at times tree-covered. However, Toby Mathews’ survey of the manor of Bosworth in 1592 suggests that this area may have originally been occupied by a farmstead belonging to the Parsonage, under the tenancy of a Thomas Whitehead in the late 16th century. A test-pit dug in the north-western corner of the field (TP6), uncovered a possible cobbled surface and wall, alongside evidence of occupation dating to between the 12th and 17th/18th century.

The survey was carried out by metal detectorists David Neave, Edward Robinson, and Carlo Camposano. Post excavation cleaning, identification and analysis was done by Mathew Morris of University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS), who compiled this interim report.

Surface finds (i.e. unburied) were retrieved but not located (Table 1). These included 45 coins, a set of keys and numerous pieces of refuse (i.e. metal from food and drink packaging). The coins were all postdecimalisation (15 February 1971) and ranged in date from 1971 to 2015. They amounted to a value of £15.11.

Table 1: Catalogue of surface finds from the Parish Field metal detector survey

Find no.

Object type

Description

Date

Surface find 1

Household

Set of 2 keys on key-ring – 1 mortice key & 1 cylinder key

Modern

Surface find 2

Coin

1992 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

20th century

Surface find 3

Coin

1971 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

20th century

Surface find 4

Coin

2000 Elizabeth II Decimal Twenty Pence

21st century

Surface find 5

Coin

1983 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

Surface find 6

Coin

???? Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

Modern

Surface find 7

Coin

2014 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

21st century

Surface find 8

Coin

2000 Elizabeth II Decimal Twenty Pence

21st century

Surface find 9

Coin

1971 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

Surface find 10

Coin

1993 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 11

Coin

1992 Elizabeth II Decimal Ten Pence

20th century

Surface find 12

Coin

1997 Elizabeth II Decimal Fifty Pence

20th century

Surface find 13

Coin

2005 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

21st century

Surface find 14

Coin

1975 Elizabeth II Decimal Ten Pence

20th century

Surface find 15

Coin

1993 Elizabeth II Decimal Twenty Pence

20th century

Surface find 16

Coin

2005 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

21st century

Surface find 17

Coin

1971 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

Surface find 18

Coin

2001 Elizabeth II Decimal Fifty Pence

21st century

Surface find 19

Coin

2000 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

21st century

Surface find 20

Coin

1987 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 21

Coin

1991 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

Surface find 22

Coin

2010 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

21st century

Find no.

Object type

Description

Date

Surface find 23

Coin

1988 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

20th century

Surface find 24

Coin

2001 Elizabeth II Decimal Five Pence

21st century

Surface find 25

Coin

1983 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 26

Coin

1992 Elizabeth II Decimal Ten Pence (cut in half)

20th century

Surface find 27

Coin

1983 Elizabeth II Decimal Fifty Pence

20th century

Surface find 28

Coin

2015 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

21st century

Surface find 29

Coin

2013 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

21st century

Surface find 30

Coin

2000 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

21st century

Surface find 31

Coin

1987 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

Surface find 32

Coin

1994 Elizabeth II Decimal Twenty Pence

20th century

Surface find 33

Coin

2015 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

21st century

Surface find 34

Coin

1980 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

Surface find 35

Coin

1984 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 36

Coin

1980 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

20th century

Surface find 37

Coin

1992 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 38

Coin

1985 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 39

Coin

1983 Elizabeth II Decimal One Pound

20th century

Surface find 40

Coin

1990 Elizabeth II Decimal Two Pence

20th century

Surface find 41

Coin

1999 Elizabeth II Decimal Five Pence

20th century

Surface find 42

Coin

1992 Elizabeth II Decimal Ten Pence

20th century

Surface find 43

Coin

1990 Elizabeth II Decimal Five Pence

20th century

Surface find 44

Coin

2014 Elizabeth II Decimal Five Pence

21st century

Surface find 45

Coin

2000 Elizabeth II Decimal Five Pence

21st century

Surface find 46

Coin

1980 Elizabeth II Decimal Penny

20th century

All below surface finds (i.e. buried in the ground) were recovered, individually bagged with a unique find number (MD ##), given a measurement of their depth below ground level, and a 10-figure grid reference tied to the National Grid with a handheld GPS (with an accuracy of 2-4m) – Table 2.

For analysis, each find was also assigned a spit number, Spit 1 being finds from the top 0.1m of ground (the turf), Spit 2 being finds from 0.1-0.2m below the ground (the topsoil), and so on. So far, no finds have been found below c.0.2m but the survey is yet to be completed.

Finds were plotted on a map of the Parish Field, by spit and find type – Figure 1. The coins were also plotted separately, by period – Figure 2. Photographs of select finds can be viewed in Figure 3-Figure 8. Statistical/stratigraphical analysis of the finds assemblage will be carried out at a later date, once the survey is completed.

Mathew Morris MA ACIfA

Project Officer

Archaeological Services (ULAS)

University of Leicester

University Road

Leicester LE1 7RH

Tel: 0116 252 2848

Fax: 0116 252 2614

Email: mlm9@leicester.ac.uk

Current draft 13/01/2018

Figure 1: Plan showing the distribution of metal detecting finds from the Parish Field, Market Bosworth – by spit and

Figure 8: MD76 – a Cu alloy square token with hole central on one side. The obverse is inscribed with the biblical quote ‘I AM THE LORD, [I] CHANGE NOT. MAL [3:6]’ and the reverse ‘WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME. GAL 2:20’.